A Simple Task
by KayuraK
Summary: Not the usual Magus searches for Schala fic
1. Vacation?

A Simple Task  
By KayuraK  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Chrono Trigger, heck I don't even own the computer I'm using to write this. The truth is Squaresoft owns Chrono Trigger and my parents own the computer. If I did own Chrono Trigger I would own my own computer, heck I'd own my own house. I would also have money, which is another thing I don't have. This is my first Chrono Trigger fic so be lenient with me.  
  
12,000 BC:  
Magus searched thoroughly though the remains of the Ocean Palace. Nothing. Not even the remains of his mother could be found amongst the wreckage. He searched through the room where Schala had taken them before teleporting them to safety. Nothing.  
If anything it made him hopeful. "Perhaps she made it out alive." He thought to himself, but the notion was too good to be true. His rations were running out and he was hard pressed to find anymore in this place. He had been searching for the last two weeks untiring since he had aided in the defeat of Lavos. He was running out of options. He knew that if she were here she would have long since died of starvation. He would have to search elsewhere.  
After searching the corridors one last time he teleported himself out of the sunken ruins and onto the shore where he sat sulking not too long before. Sulking over the loss of revenge more than the loss of his sister at the time. "If only I could have found a way back in time to save her," he mumbled to himself, "but then again I don't know for certain that she died, I never found her body,"  
He remembered when he returned to this time. Apparently it was right after the Epoch had left. He found Dalton's body near the wreckage of the Blackbird. Dalton no doubt tried to save himself by using a parachute. Unfortunately for him he must have opened it at too low of an altitude because it hadn't opened in time. He had been glad that Lucca and Marle hadn't been there. They surely would have vomited at the sight of it. He had taken a moment to spit on the formal general's prone body when he first arrived.  
Magus wasn't as tolerant to cold as he used to be. Still, it was a lot warmer than it had been when he had first arrived. The fall of the Zeal kingdom had also marked an end for the ice age. The ground made a 'squish' sound beneath his feet as he walked. "Schala, where are you?" Magus asked aloud.   
Further searches of the area villages and refugee camps yielded nothing. Interrogations of the few survivors from the Ocean Palace Disaster yielded little more information. One person had seen Schala, but that had been before Lavos had been awakened.   
Losing hope, he headed back to the shore to teleport once more to the Ocean Palace when suddenly he heard a familiar 'Whoosh'. He looked inland and saw in the distance that 'hair'. That unmistakable mop that belonged to none other than Chrono was the first to jump out of the Epoch. Following Chrono was a being with glowing eyes that Magus surmised that it was Lucca. Obviously the glow effect was caused by the sun's glare off of her glasses. Following Lucca was a fair-haired girl with which by most men would be described as "Curvy". If asked, Magus would just describe he as an airhead.  
  
(Disclaimer: My apologies to all Marle/Nadia Fans, but this is Magus we're talking about and he talks trash about everyone. I'm only keeping Magus IC so please don't flame me.)  
  
Despite his misgivings of the trio he was glad to see them, or at least he was as close to glad as he got. Still it was a reasonable facsimile to being glad. He had been very lonely these last few weeks. It was strange how it never seemed to bother him before, and then suddenly he had the company of several vibrant young people with the same goal as he had, to destroy Lavos. They we're the closest thing to a friend he's had since his sister Schala. Perhaps if he should find Schala to be dead he could perhaps start a new life in 1000AD.   
"Chances are," he thought to himself, "that I will spend the rest of my life searching for a ghost, but I owed Schala that much, don't I? She had been everything to me. I would trade my life so that she could live a happily…." His thoughts were interrupted by the tell tale voice of the princess-whatever-her-name-was, Marle or Nadia. Frankly he liked the name Nadia better than Marle.   
"Magus!" the princess yelled art the top of her lungs, "we didn't expect to find you so fast."  
"That's fine," Magus grumbled, "I didn't expect you to come looking."  
"Hey Magus," Lucca said as she neared the shore, "we were wondering if you'd like to come with us for awhile."  
Magus glared at her.  
"You know, for kind of a vacation." Chrono piped in.  
He'd been searching for weeks, but some how it felt right to go along. Then it hit him. Schala could have sucked through a time portal. She could be anywhere. It would explain why he couldn't even find a body.   
"I'll go along."  
"All Right!" The other three said in unison.  
"But where am I gonna sit? There's only room for three in the Epoch."  
"I didn't think of that." Mused Lucca.  
"Me neither." Marle/Nadia chimed in.  
"I've got it!" shouted Chrono, "Magus can take Marle's seat."  
"Where am I gonna sit?" Marle looked a bit peeved.  
"Where else!" the look on Chrono's face revealed his plan.  
"Oh brother!" Magus thought. (If this were Anime he'd have sweat dropped)  
Marle returned his smile and arm in arm Marle and Chrono walked back to Epoch.  
"Oh brother," Lucca moaned, "Hey wait up!"  
Magus could only watch as Chrono and Marle shared the same seat. He felt he'd never understand why those two couldn't keep they're hands off each other. All the while an aura of emptiness emanated from Lucca. It was obvious that she felt lonely when she saw the princess and Chrono together. "I wonder if I'd have ended up like that if Lavos had never been?" he thought absently. He shrugged it off with little strain as he focused on this break from his search. It was already obvious that he would never find her here in the aftermath of Zeal.   
The Epoch picked up speed as it passed through the barrier of, finally slowing to a halt above Lucca's home. Lucca eased the Epoch to the ground, and soon they all piled out of the Epoch. Magus decided to wait until the rest had exited the ship before getting up. It helped to avoid physical contact. That was a plus. It became evident as of the moment he set foot off the ramp that it had rained heavily the night before.   
Marle began to laugh uncontrollably. Chrono stifled a few giggles; Lucca didn't know what was so funny. Magus, well, Magus promptly pulled his foot out of the mud.  
Marle was busting into fits of hysteric laughter as suddenly Magus' scythe 'accidentally' 'bumped' the back of Marle's legs causing her to fall face first into the muck. Chrono began to laugh as he pulled the no-longer-laughing-princess out of the mud.  
"You did that on purpose!" Marle growled.  
"Your point?" Magus actually smiled not ruefully, but as if he were actually enjoying himself.  
Marle attempted to wipe some of the mud off only to find that she was rubbing in. "This was my favorite outfit!" Marle fumed, "You'll pay for that!"  
"Relax Marle." Lucca cooed. "I'm sure it'll wash right out, after all it's only mud."  
"Only mud!" Marle howled, "I'm soiled!"  
"You fell lots of times when we were traveling." Chrono offered.  
"Those were unavoidable accidents. This was on purpose!!"  
"Calm yourself fair maiden." Frog said as he hoped around the side of the Epoch.  
"What's he doing here?" Magus asked.  
"We picked him up first." Marle said in an attempt to bruise Magus' pride.  
"Then how did Frog ride home? Was it his turn to sit on Chrono's lap?" Magus asked sarcastically.  
"Pardon?" Frog seemed a bit in the dark about the situation, whereas Lucca could barely contain herself. This was evident in the fact that she was doubled over laughing.  
"Actually, me and Lucca went to get Frog because Marle had a royal dinner to go to." Chrono interjected, "We didn't think about it when we went to get you."  
Drying a tear from her eyes Lucca asked, "So what do you want to do first, Magus?"  
"Dry out my boots." With that, Magus walked towards Lucca's house sloshing all the way. When he got to the porch he sat down and took off his boots.   
"Nice socks." Marle commented. "I always liked penguins!"  
"Shut Up!" Magus roared, "It's not my fault that this was the only pair that was clean the day you kids busted in to my castle."  
Frog pinched his nose. "That would explaineth the harsh scent the cometh from thine feet."  
"Maybe we should bet you a fresh pair." Lucca offered.  
"I'll be fine." Magus growled in such a tone that one would have to be a fool to bother him further. "I don't plan to stay in the area too long anyway."  
"What!" Chrono sounded astonished; "We came all the way out there to get you so we could hang out."  
"Hang out?" Magus looked puzzled as he conjured a weak fire spell to dry his boots and socks without burning them. "Sorry boy, my scythe doesn't bend that way."  
"No silly," Lucca interjected, "he means to hang around with us, you know, stay with us for a while."  
"Why?"  
"Because we miss you." Marle beamed.  
"I'm sure you miss me…every time you throw something."  
"That is not true." Frog said as he deftly picked up a small pebble and tossed it at Magus.  
Magus simply placed his hand out and stopped the pebble in mid air. He stared at it for a few seconds before he let it fall to the ground.  
"The only reason I came here was because I believe that Schala might have been sucked through a time portal, and that if I was lucky she might be here. If not I would have access to a means to search other periods."  
"You mean the Epoch." Lucca said softly.  
"No, I mean the Tooth fairy." Magus said in the most sarcastic voice he could muster. "Of course I meant the Epoch!"  
"What if we don't let you take it." Chrono challenged.  
"I'll burn that bridge when I get there." Magus said as he refastened his boots and walked away.   
"What did he mean by that?" Marle wondered aloud.  
"I knoweth not, but it cannot be good." Frog mused.  



	2. The Task

Chapter 2 The Task  
  
Magus wondered if he hadn't been too harsh with them. He knew very well that they had beaten him once when his power was at full. He had only recently relearned Dark Matter, yet all the while they had grown ever stronger.   
He had bought passage on a ferry to Porre. He sat near the front of the boat just to feel the wind on his face it always helped him think.  
'Somehow I would have to sweet talk them into letting me borrow it.' He figured it wouldn't be too hard seeing as how the young scientist had a slight soft spot for him that he could easily exploit.  
The ferry had taken him halfway to Porre when suddenly he felt a great disturbance. Then he simply disappeared.  
  
Magus found himself lying on the ground near the edge of a thick forest.   
"Who's there?" he asked  
He was answered by an annoyingly fiendish laughter that seemed to come from every direction.  
"What do you want?" Magus yelled as he turned around hoping to see who ever had brought him there.  
"On the contrary, dear Magus." answered a voice that sounded old but at the same time squeaked like a boy in puberty, "What do you want?"  
"I don't understand." Magus hissed. If there was one thing he hated it was being toyed with.  
"Tell me Magus," the voice replied, "What do you seek? For what have you spent your life searching for?"  
"Schala." Magus whispered.  
"Clever boy! It only took you two minutes to figure it out."  
"Don't toy with me!" Magus fumed as he readied his scythe.  
"Toy with you?" the voice surprised, "Why Janus, I'm hurt. I'm here to offer you the chance of a lifetime."  
"What would this chance be?" Magus said as he tried to mask his anticipation.  
"To get your sister back from the brink of the grave, my boy." The voice cackled.   
The voice now came from behind Magus. He turned to see a short man in white robes with red trim. He carried a staff that seemed to glow in his hands. The man had a kind face which had a look to it that made it seem as though he were lost in a daydream. His hair was platinum white.  
"I'll take it you're a Pisces." Magus said sarcastically.  
"How did you guess?" the man asked  
"I have my ways." Magus retorted.  
"Really," the man replied sounding less than impressed.  
"Who are you? Magus demanded," And how can you help me get Schala back?  
"One thing at a time my boy. First of all my name is Tine. I am a master of all forms of magic except Shadow magic….  
"Let me guess," Magus supposed, "You want me to teach you Shadow magic."  
"Oh, perish the thought." Tine replied. "It would ruin my reputation as a being of light. I rule this land indirectly."  
"Indirectly?" Magus asked unbelieving.  
"There is no set government." Tine replied. "The people rule themselves; however, every once in a while some self proclaimed king, usually some wealthy nobleman, will raise an army and attempt to conquer the land. After a few villages are burnt and a couple of towns and cities are captured, I come in and….  
"You save the day." Magus finished.  
"Pretty much, yeah." Tine replied. "Whenever there is a dispute the people come to me for my guidance and infinite wisdom.  
"Where did you get this 'infinite wisdom?" Magus asked.  
"That's easy! I'm immortal." Tine beamed.  
"Really." Magus said unbelieving.  
"Three times over." Tine said still beaming.  
"How?" Magus asked still not believing.  
"Too long of a story." Tine replied  
  
Magus shook his head. It was obvious that this was going nowhere and fast.  
"I guess you want to know how to get your sister back." Tine said, finally getting back to the point.  
"YES!" Magus bellowed in exasperation.  
"It's a simple task" Tine assured, "All you have to do is transport a certain young woman to my palace."  
"What does that have to do with Schala?" Magus fumed.  
"When you bring the girl to my palace I will have Schala ready and waiting for you." Tine beamed.  
"What does the girl have to do with it?" Magus growled.   
"Absolutely nothing." Tine replied, "but if I'm going to bring you your sister I'd like you to do something for me."  
"What does she look like?"   
"Well she's pretty short, only about 5'4", she has pink hair that hangs around her face in tendrils, blue eyes, she wears an olive green tank top and shorts, and she has the most annoying voice you ever heard." Tine remarked with a smile.  
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you liked her." Magus smirked.  
"We had something a long time ago, but now her existence endangers my image. She knows a few things that one shouldn't so she will have to stay out of society if you get my meaning." Tine replied.  
"You intend to kill her."  
"If she warrants it." Tine remarked, "Does this bother you?"  
"Not at all." Magus replied, "Are you sure that you can have Schala by the time I've teleported the girl to your palace?"  
"Oops. Silly me I forgot to tell you…"  
"What now." Magus fumed.  
"You can't teleport her."  
"Why not?" Magus growled.  
"She's a master of the art. She'll figure out where you're taking her and she can change your course, which is why I haven't taken care of her yet. I just haven't had the time or patience to walk with her the full 200 miles from here to my palace, and everyone else I've hired for the job always backed out after the first day of travel."  
"I thought that you were supposed to be a great and powerful sorcerer, yet your magic can be beaten by a mere girl…." Magus was cut short as he felt his lungs stop working.  
"Silence!" Tine scowled, "It just so happens that the field of summoning isn't one of my strong points. She has mastered it." Tine released his grip.  
Magus fell to the ground gasping.  
"She is a powerful sorceress. So I think you had better be careful." Tine said as his scowl melted into his normal blank expression. "Her name is Meritircula." Tine almost seemed to sing it, "but she prefers to be called Meri."  
"Where will I find her?" Magus asked as he gracefully removed himself from the ground.  
"Walk that way," Tine pointed north, "through the forest. On the other side you will see the village of Arstes. You'll find her in the café."  
"Is there anything else?" Magus asked as he dusted himself off.  
"Yes. You'll have to tie her up with this." Tine tossed him a strange blue rope. "This rope will suspend her magic ability. It's made from indestructible fibers."  
"Thanks." Magus remarked as he walked into the forest.  
"One more thing!" Tine called out as he began to disappear, "Make sure she isn't harmed!"  
"This is just great." Magus thought to himself. "I'm now an honorary lackey, but it's worth it to get Schala back."  



End file.
